Edward Manukyan

Edward Manukyan (born July 27, 1981) is a composer from Southern California, United States. His main works are orchestral and chamber compositions, which lean heavily upon elements of Armenian national folklore. Early life It was not until his last years in high school that Manukyan showed interest in composing music. In 1997, he won state scholarship to study languages and psychology at the Yerevan State Linguistic University. During his student years, he committed himself to studying music and immediately began concentrating on composition. He became a member of local chamber orchestras, writing material for their repertoires. He also formed his own jazz quartet and gave concerts at various venues in Yerevan. Career Upon moving to California in 2002, Manukyan shifted his interests towards contemporary classical music after studying the works of his compatriot Aram Khachaturian. A cover-story article in the Glendale News-Press, published on October 23, 2007, shed some light on the composer’s unusual start in classical music. In 2004, Manukyan took composition classes from Rowan Taylor and went on to further study with composers John Kennedy and James Newton. He earned his master’s